STUDY I. 67 



defcends, climbs; in a word, how his frame is 

 equally adapted to clamber to the fummit of the 

 rock, and to walk on the furface of the fnow; to 

 traverfe the river and the foreft, to pick the mofs 

 of the fountain, and the fruit of the palm-tree ; to 

 feed the bee, and to tame the elephant. 



With all thefe advantages. Nature has collefled 

 in the human figure every thing that is lovely in co- 

 lour and form, whether from harmony or from con- 

 trail. To thefe flie has added movements the moft 

 majeftic and the moft graceful. From an accurate 

 obfervation of this, Virgil has been enabled to 

 finifh, by a mafter-ftroke, the portrait of Venus 

 difguifed, talking with Eneas, who remained ig- 

 norant who fhe was, while beauty only was dii- 

 played, but diftinguilhed her the inftant fhe began 

 to move : Fera incejfu patuit Dea ; *' Her gait de- 

 clared the Goddefs." * 



The Author of Nature has united in Man 

 every fpecies of beauty, and has formed of thefe a 

 combination fo wonderful, that all animals, in 



* Milton's defcription of Eve is ftill more chara(fleri{lic of 

 female majefty : 



Grace was in all her fteps, Heaven in her eye ; 

 In every gefture, dignity and love. 



Par. Lost, Book IV, 



F a. their 



